Want Summer to Slow Down?

The truly purposeful have an ironic secret: they manage time less and pay attention more." Mark Buchanan

This quote caught my attention last week - and kept it. I printed it out to put on my desk and I memorized it, but I wasn't sure what it meant to me - but I kept thinking. And then looking at some old blogs I found this one from last June and it fit perfect. Isn't that amazing when pieces fall in place like that?

After our first, very short, summer in Illinois, I realized I needed a plan. Summer always flies by for me, but up north? It was over before I'd eaten my fill of watermelon, watched lightening bugs, or gone to the lake.
So when it started getting warm I sat down with a pen and paper (necessary to any plan). Summer in northern Illinois is ten weeks long. And not because of the kids school schedule - summer really is only about ten weeks long. I know, sends a shudder down your spine, doesn't it?
Back to my plan. On my piece of paper I wrote out all the things I'd regret not having done if I got to the end of the summer and they were undone.
Eating outside a lot
Watermelon
Read a couple warm days away, with a sweating glass of ice tea
Sit out in the yard late into the night several times
Go to the lake (this one got scratched later when I realized Illinois lakes don't get warm-ever. I don't do cold water.
This exercise led to me making this kind of list a lot. Holidays, parties, vacations - What would I really regret later if I didn't do them? Then make sure to do them. I started asking the kids that question and it helped us plan our lives, day by day.
Living intentionally. Living on purpose. Realizing that time moves and this is the one shot we get.
June 29, 2009 happens once and it's today. (Likewise, June 24, 2010 happens only once and it's today.)
Time for a list.

The truly purposeful have an ironic secret: they manage time less and pay attention more."